Categories

Archives

GRINNELL, IA—Artist and activist Steven Kurtz will deliver the final Grinnell College Scholars’ Convocation of the fall semester on “Intervention and Public Art,” Thurs., Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. in Room 101 of the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center on the Grinnell campus.

Kurtz, who is professor of visual studies at State University of New York-Buffalo, will review models for presenting art in public, including the use of tactical media, “artivism,” neo-avant-gardism, and other public forms of cultural provocation. He will illustrate his lecture with examples from the internationally acclaimed art and theatre group Critical Art Ensemble (CAE), of which he is a founding member.

CAE is a collective of tactical media practitioners who focus on exploring the intersections of art, critical theory, technology, and political activism. The collective has produced a variety of projects for international audiences at diverse street, museum, and Internet venues. The group has also written six books, including “The Electronic Disturbance” (1994); “Digital Resistance: Explorations in Tactical Media” (2001); “Molecular Invasion” (2002); and “Marching Plague” (2006).

A screening of “Strange Culture” about Kurtz’s personal journey through bio-art and persecution is scheduled for Tues., Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 302 of Alumni Recitation Hall, 1226 Park St., on the Grinnell campus. Kurtz will also speak at the University of Iowa on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in Shambaugh Auditorium.

Kurtz’s Grinnell lecture is part of the college’s ongoing Scholars’ Convocation series. Grinnell welcomes the participation of people with disabilities. If accommodations are needed, please contact the event’s sponsoring organization as soon as possible to make a request.